Breaking news

Lottery, a short, comic and poignant play will be performed at McDonald Road Library on 4 November, 6:30pm.

It tells the story of former school sweethearts Fizz and Alan who, in a chance encounter, find their affection rekindled as they reveal to each other how dyslexia has changed their lives whilst hunting for a lost lottery ticket.

Written by Lowri Potts and directed by Lisa Nicoll, the workshop production stars Laura Fell and Fraser Thomson of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama's 'Dramaworks' programme.

Heavy rain is forecast for the next few days, which is of course a sure sign that the Spurtle is due for distribution.

On Monday 1 November, Issue 188 will be delivered by canoe, kayak and galoshes to the usual miscellany of pubs, clubs, shops and galleries across Broughton, and poured into the home addresses of loyal subscribers everywhere. It will also appear online, with a flood of extras, from 8:15am onwards.

Lothian and Borders Police’s new City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team (Issue 187) is divided into 3 beats, one of which runs from Princes Street to East London Street, Bellevue Crescent, Royal Crescent and Fettes Row.

Officers for this beat are: PC4437 Dane Harrison; PC5159 Neil Gilmour; PC3952 Davy Scott; PC5684 Keith Deuchars; PC11028 Michael Somerville; and PC5852 Karen Reid (Licensing Officer).

Samhuinn, the annual Celtic farewell to Summer and celebration of the New Year, will take place on Sunday 31 October. Take celebratory attitude and mittens.

The procession will leave from Castlehill at round 9:00pm and move on to West Parliament Square. Crowds will remain there until around around 11:00pm. Donations in fancy buckets welcome.

Council marketing hacks are doing their best this morning with a press release inviting families to celebrate Halloween on Saturday in the Waste Aware Cabin at Fillyside Road, Seafield (11am–3:00pm).

Thrills will include examining wildlife in a compost heap and a guided tour of the City's largest recycling centre, not to mention ghostly competitions and activities during a 'fun-packed day'.

However, just when you thought things couldn't get worse: '... Alchemy Arts will also be hosing a Halloween themed masks workshop'.

That settles it. I'm not going.

The Guardian/Edinburgh has aired concerns about redevelopment at Canonmills.

[This article is being updated as politicians react. See bottom of the page for latest developments.]

The Osbourne Hotel at 51–9 York Place has been granted planning permission for alterations to the existing hotel, including an extension to the rear, building-up of the shop entrance, removal and replacement of a door canopy, and installation ofl new railings (as amended) (Ref. 10/02385/FUL; Breaking news 1.9.10).

Ichthyotherapy is the kind of spa treatment which draws excited gasps from some people, and reduces others to high-pitched squeals of revulsion. Either way, it is coming to an extremity near you very soon.

Appy Feet will open their newest branch at No. 41 in the St James Centre (near the Leith Street entrance) on Monday 25 October. They employ a technique which originated in Turkey (and is now popular across the Far East) whereby hands and feet plunged into warm water are then nibbled upon by inch-long fish to remove dead and calloused skin.

The headline above contains terms not usually associated with positive publicity, but in this case they exactly describe the effects for which Axo Gallery and artists' initiative Coup Red are aiming.

An original 'Happening', We are Gruesome will celebrate all things grotesque in an event combining contemporary art and performance, sound sculpture, and – perhaps most terrifying of all – audience participation.